Spring Steelhead on the Feather River
Spring Steel on the Feather
By Jonathan Hubbard
Spring brings a lot to look forward to for fly fishers across Northern California. Warmer weather, active bugs, and longer days signal the approach of summer and the fly fishing adventures to come. There are many great fly fishing experiences to be had in the area during March and April, but as a steelhead junkie, I can often be found chasing anadromous fish until they've had enough of the rivers and head back to their other haunts. The Feather River is a fun local tailwater that has a good return of spring steelhead and can provide exceptional fishing for these strong fish, often well above the 20-inch mark.
The Feather is only about an hour and 20 minutes from Sacramento, making it an easy day trip if you only have a day to fish. Day trips from the Bay Area are definitely doable, although some folks opt to spend the night in Oroville to break up the trip and get a couple of days of angling in. The Feather is infinitely accessible and has great walk-and-wade water from downtown Oroville all the way down through the Low Flow Channel and into the Oroville Wildlife Area. Multiple approaches can be used to get into these fish, so whether you prefer to euro nymph or swing the fly, there's a section of river for you.
As a guide, the majority of my trips focus on indicator nymphing, which definitely produces some great days on the water. I throw a variety of flies during the spring. Productive patterns include alevins, sucker spawn, prince nymphs, caddis, and attractor mayflies. If something isn't working, switch it up and fish the run again or move to find the fish. Euro nymphing anglers should throw jigged olive and white buggers, princes, and large caddis on the bottom, and accompany them with alevins, jigged caddis, and mayflies up top. 3x should do the trick in most situations. Keep in mind, being on the water early has its benefits in spring, but the bugs wake up, and the bite can turn on when things warm up a little.
If you plan on swinging flies, I'd recommend a 4 or 5-weight two-hander. We have some great Anderson Custom Rods, Burkies, and Sage rods in the shop that will do the trick. Pair them with the Rio Scandi Short Versitip System and a variety of tips to change depths depending on the run. You can run a type 3 through much of the Feather, though some runs require a type 6 to get down in the high-flow areas. When things get low and clear, you can run a floating head and unweighted salmon smolt and baitfish patterns for some just-below-the-surface blow-ups. Caddis start popping later in the spring, so don't forget the soft hackles! I recommend alevins, sculpins, smolts, and soft hackles in a variety of colors. Take a look around the water before you rig up, and you'll have a good idea of what to throw.
The Low Flow Channel has a very different feel than the high-flow area, and both are worth exploring. Higher in the river, the water tends to run a little clearer, so the fish can get a little "trouty" in their behavior. They'll sometimes key in on smaller flies and presentations, and even take dries off the surface when the caddis get going. Definitely worth bringing a 6-weight out in late April and into May, rigged up with your favorite caddis dry. It doesn't happen every day, but I've definitely caught some nice fish on top, and it can be done with some patience. Lower in the river, below the Thermalito Afterbay outlet, you'll find bigger water that is prime for swinging and throwing the indicator. Gravel roads parallel the river for quite some distance, and the intrepid walk-and-wade angler can get into some uncrowded fishing with bright fish moving upstream. A drift boat or raft will open up more of the river and allow you to explore additional water for these feisty fish.
As a guide, I follow catch-and-release and "keep 'em wet" practices, especially for native, unclipped fish. Care in handling these diamonds in the rough will help keep this fishery thriving for future generations of anglers. That being said, if you harvest one hatchery fish per season, the world will not end. But you can also find some great fresh steelhead in your local Costco's seafood section. Lastly, if you're planning on making the trip north to fish the Feather, keep your valuables, fishing equipment, and gear out of sight and safely stowed. This is a good practice wherever you are fishing these days. If you haven't scratched the steelhead itch this season, springtime is your last chance to chase these elusive fish, and the Feather River is a great place to give it a go. Good luck, and Fish on!
